As one of the most beautiful sets of islands in the world, the Canaries are visited by millions every year. Not only are they part of the lost islands of Atlantis, but they also hold great historical significance too; Hercules collected his golden apples in the Canary Islands. For thousands of years, these islands have been shrouded in myth, however as amazing they are in ancient literature and fable, they’re even more impressive in real life.

Located just off the coast of Morocco, these seven islands are also of great geological interest. Sometime in the last 40 million years, the tectonic plates under the sea bed shifted, causing mass volcanic eruptions. These eruptions, once the lava solidified, saw massive volcanoes form, which are now the range of mountains seen across the Canaries.

The island used to be the home of travellers and missionaries looking for a safe haven on their way to exploring the New World, however these people have been replaced by culture-seeking tourists looking to bask in the sun, and experience the wonders these islands have to offer. Let’s take a look at some of the best activities the Canary Islands have to offer.

Hiking

There are a range of activities to experience when holidaying on the Canary Islands, however hiking is one of the most popular. Climbing a volcano can be a very gratifying thing to do, and with the amazing views from the top, it’s obvious why so many people choose to find the hiker in them. Experience is recommended however, and hiking one of the many volcanoes in the Canary Islands is not for the faint of heart – or the unfit.

Mount Teide, the tallest mountain in Tenerife, is one of the biggest climbs in the Canary Islands, taking over five hours of solid walking to reach the peak. At 3718 meters (12198 feet), the summit can get very steep at points, and you’ll have to navigate large boulders and solidified lava formations on your journey.

La Palma is also a great hiking spot, and it offers over 960 kilometers (600 miles) of walking trails for all levels of hiker. These trails take you straight though the heart of the volcano range, with forests, waterfalls and tough terrain all along the way. One of the best hikes to experience is the La Caldera de Taburiente National Park, and it is ideal of experienced walkers. Visit cruise.co.uk for great deals to the Canary Islands.

Scuba Diving in the Canaries

Every once in a while, mother nature throws a climate temper tantrum over the Canary Islands, and the sea bed can be dramatically reshaped when earthquakes occur. This makes scuba diving one of the most popular activities on the island, and there is even a stretch of sea bed that has been declared a UNESCO Marine Reserve.

As you descend though the crystal clear waters, you’ll be able to see the spectacular marine life that live in the Canaries, and from stingrays and turtles to globefish, there are some spectacular sights to behold.

The post Activities to pursue in the Canary Islands appeared first on Vi Travel Tips.

But…There is one place, which must be on to do list of every  keen shipwreck diver or any recreational diver who might wiling to do only one shipwreck dive.

On my trip to Vanutau…Stop! Vanuatu? Where it is? Vanuatu archipelago is located east of northern Australia and north of New Zealand. Here is the map.

So, lets continue. On my trip to Vanuatu the main attraction on my list was Mount Yasar. It is active and one of most easy accessible volcanoes in the world ( I’ll write separate post for it later). But after spending some time and researching what else to see and to do in Vanuatu I found one thing I never heard about before.

On Espiritu Santo island (the largest island in Vanuatu) you can dive SS President Coolidge which is probably is perhaps the most accessible shipwreck of this size and type in the world. When I saw pictures of the ship I involuntary started compare it with Titanic.

SS President Coolidge isn’t such large as Titanic, but still it is 654 feet/199 meters in length (Titanic’s length is 882 feet/269 meters). SS President Coolidge was build as a luxury liner providing trans-pacific passage and commercial service. On the ship was spacious staterooms and lounges, private telephones for passengers, saltwater swimming pools, beauty salon, gymnasium and etc.  During Second World War SS President Coolidge was converted to troop carrier. It could carry over 5000 troops and was never intended to see any action.

During the War on Espiritu Santo island was established large military base with harbor heavily protected by mines.  In late 1942 SS President Coolidge was struck by two mines  during entry to this harbor, but happily most troops (except 2) safely reached the shore before ship sank.

In 1983 Vanuatu government declared that no recovery of any artifact would be allowed from the Coolidge. Since then it become as one of the best playground for divers in the world. Divers can see guns, cannons, Jeeps, helmets, trucks and personal supplies.  It is so close to the shore and during low tide you can put on your diving gear and just walk to the wreck as these troops in the above picture.

To see everything or almost everything you’ll need at least 10-15 dives. Also you can do night dives. This means you need to stay at least a week on the island to explore the ship. I hadn’t so much time as I found out about this ship almost at last minute of my trip to Vanuatu. I manage to dive only two times and saw only bow, but still it was very impressive and I would love to come back to this site.

You don’t need to have ship wreck diver certification as all dives are guided so you shouldn’t worry about it.  There are couple diving shops in Santo. I was using Allan Power Dive Tours and happy to recommend it.

Thought it is quite a trip to get there now. Couple years ago it was direct flight from Brisbane in Australia  to Santo, but now the only option is trip with stop over in capital Port Vila. But in clear day it is very beautiful flight with view to over islands.

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